You Should've Backed Down
by MyHeartBeatsLove
Summary: Jade never backs down from a challenge. But Tori's turning out to be a big one.


**A/N: Two or three times a year, I start a new fic with the intention of actually finishing it. Over the course of my "career" I've written Malex, Spashley, Lovez, Jack/Elizabeth, OC crack!fic, and a rare unpublished Ryan/Alex story. But this is my first attempt at Jori. (And the first time I've written anything in a little over a year!) It just kinda popped into my head and poured right out of me. If you hate it, feel free to leave me hate or constructive criticism. I don't want to dishonor my OTP.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious. All rights go to Viacom/Dan/the other big wigs. I'm just a little Schneider groupie at heart.**

Chapter 1: I Never Said Stop

"Hey, guys! Sorry to keep you waiting," Tori lamented as she bounded down the stairs. "I know I told you to be here at six, but Trina had an emergency."

"What? Did she hear herself sing?" Jade asked, smirking.

"Or see footage of her one woman show?" Andre suggested.

"Or walk in front of a mirror?" Rex laughed.

"No!" Tori replied loudly, faking offense like any good sister would. "A squirrel stole her cell phone."

"A squirrel?" Robbie asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Tori replied nonchalantly as she joined everyone on the couch.

"How'd you get it back?" Beck asked.

"I didn't. I just let her borrow mine."

Andre looked puzzled. "But what would a squirrel want with a cell phone?"

"Free minutes?" Beck joked.

"But a squirrel can't even dial a phone!"

"Andre!" Cat interrupted from her chair in the side of the room. "Squirrels are people, too."

At this, everyone turned, giving Cat the look they reserved especially for her. The one that questioned how she could be so cute and so dumb at the same time.

Robbie ventured to speak. "But Cat, squirrels aren't-"

"Regardless…" Jade said, cutting him off and saving herself from sitting through a long argument about a squirrel's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in this world. "We have a project to work on."

"You want to do school work?" Beck smiled towards his girlfriend incredulously.

"What I want is to get out of Vega's house. The sooner we finish this project, the sooner we can do that."

Tori shot Jade an irritated look as she pulled out her notebook and began to get down to work. Jade simply smiled back at her.

A few hours later, after a whole lot of un-productivity, a couple of Cats irrelevant stories, and one suggestion from Rex that they abandon the assignment and play strip poker instead, they actually ended up with a halfway decent project to hand in. Satisfied with their work, they decided to call it a night and watch a movie. One that Jade quickly grew tired of.

_Seriously?_ Jade complained to herself. _Vega wants to watch Mean Girls again? _She had to admit, it was funny. She had even chuckled a few times when she first saw it. But the amount that this girl watched it was a bit excessive. Jade sighed, glancing over at Beck. To her dismay he was completely focused on the film. _I guess we're staying till it's over then. _Jade frowned, defeated. But her frown quickly rose to a smirk as an idea popped into her head.

_When all else fails, fuck with Vega._

Jade slid her arm behind Tori and began gently tracing patterns on the bit of Tori's lower back that was peaking out from under her tank top. Tori tensed at first, her breath hitching in her throat, but she quickly relaxed into the gesture. Jade suppressed a laugh, surprised that Tori hadn't freaked the freak out on her. She began pushing up Tori's shirt, exposing more tan skin for her fingers to roam, wondering how far she could take this before Tori made her stop. Jade's fingertips explored Tori's back from the moment Cady became the new queen bee to the time when Regina put herself in the burn book without any reaction from her friends (or Tori).

"Hey, Tori," Andre called from across the couch, "Can you pass the popcorn?"

Jade turned to look at Tori, anxiously awaiting her flustered reply. But Tori looked completely unphased and smiled at Andre. "Sure thing," she replied, passing him the bowl.

_Hm, _Jade thought, _Either Vega has no feeling in her lower back, or she's a much better actress than I give her credit for._

Jade took her hand off of Tori. _What was the point without a reaction?_

It wasn't until Jade had completely taken back her hand that Tori turned to look at her. Instead of the confused look she was expecting or the usual bright-eyed wonder Tori defaulted to, it was a challenge. She was daring Jade to put her hand back. Instinctually, Jade resumed her patterns. This time, it was Tori who smirked, turning back to the tv just in time to see Cady break the crown.

Trina stomped into the room obnoxiously as the movie ended, loudly talking on the phone.

"Trina!" Tori shouted looking over at her. "You're still on my phone?"

"SHHH!" Trina stage-whispered back. "I'm on the phone!"

Trina redirected her attention back to her conversation. "Hold on, Bethany. I've got another call."

"Um, Trina?" Tori asked from her place on the couch.

"What?" Trina screeched back annoyed.

"Well… it's my phone. So the call is probably for me."

"Not necessarily!" Trina snipped, pulling the phone away from her ear to see who was calling. "Ha! See? This call is from …ME?"Trina hurriedly answered the phone. The sound of a squirrel clicking and chattering could be heard on the other end.

"Gimme back my phone, squirrel!" Trina shouted, running back up the stairs.

Everyone laughed. Beck stood and stretched.

"And on that note, I am headed home."

"Yeah… me, too."

"Me, too."

"Me, two and a half." Robbie chimed. "Get it? Because Rex is a half."

Andre and Rex groaned as Andre walked out the door with Cat. Robbie followed, still defending his joke. "No, wait. Like two. And a half. Get it?"

Beck stood waiting by the open door. "Um, Jade?"

"Yes?" Jade asked innocently, smiling up at her boyfriend.

"Are you coming?" He asked.

"Staying, actually."

"STAYING?" Tori shouted, shooting up from her seat.

_And there it was, folks. _

Jade smiled. Tori looked at Beck pleadingly. Beck shrugged and made his way out, shutting the door behind him. Tori whipped back around to face Jade.

"Just what do you think you'r-"

Jade stood, crashing her lips into Tori's. She never had been one to back down from a challenge. Tori, for reasons unbeknownst to her (or ones she just didn't want to admit), kissed her back. _Hard_. Jade smirked into the kiss, guiding Tori back to the couch. She pressed a knee between Tori's legs and laughed as she heard a moan escape from Tori's lips only to be muffled in her own mouth. After a while, Jade broke the kiss. Focusing instead on Tori's jaw, then her neck, then her collarbone. She lifted Tori's shirt, trailing hot kisses over her tanned stomach. She slowly moved lower and lower, only to reach the button on Tori's jeans. She reached up to unbutton them, but Tori's hand on her wrist stopped her.

"Jade-" Tori's voice cracked.

Jade paused and smirked up at Tori. "I'd knew you'd chicken out, Vega."

"I was actually just going to say that my parents are going to be home soon. Maybe we should take this upstairs?"

Jade stared at Tori dumbfounded, barely managing a nod. Tori smiled, grabbed Jade's wrist and lead her up to the bedroom.


End file.
